Accompanying Pei Yan to Hangzhou was Zhou Zijin.

Zhou Zijin had an excellent relationship with the Zhang family.

His father had once been Zhang Ying’s fellow examination candidate and colleague. Later, when Zhang Ying offended the Emperor over the matter of deposing and establishing an empress, it was Zhou Zijin’s father who helped him through extensive efforts, preventing him from being demoted to Qiongzhou to fish. When Zhang Ying was falsely accused and unable to prove his innocence, it was also Zhou Zijin’s father who stepped forward to take the blame for him, and was consequently stripped of his official rank and permanently barred from service. It could be said that Zhang Ying’s current position was half due to Zhou Zijin’s father’s contributions.

Fortunately, Zhou Zijin’s father was magnanimous, and the Zhou family had been immensely wealthy for generations. With no ambitions for an official career, after being stripped of his rank he not only didn’t become dejected, but instead felt that from then on the world was his oyster, free to roam as he pleased. He spent twenty years traveling throughout the land. Though only three years older than Zhang Ying, with a body like a young man’s, he was now directing several grandsons to write heroic tales, preparing to author scholarly works and leave his name in history as a great Confucian scholar.

This was also one of the reasons why Zhou Zijin and Pei Yan had such a close relationship.

They originally belonged to the same faction.

If Pei Yan had any matters, he wouldn’t deliberately hide them from Zhou Zijin.

Especially since Zhou Zijin associated with all kinds of people from all walks of life and was also friends with that Wang Qibao—when he wanted to come along on this Hangzhou trip, Pei Yan certainly wouldn’t refuse.

Zhou Zijin read the contents of the note and couldn’t help but sigh, saying, “What does he want to do? Lord Shen treads carefully every day trying to mediate, just wanting to retire peacefully. I think he’s just picking on soft persimmons. Let’s hope he doesn’t capsize in the gutter.”

Pei Yan raised his eyebrows.

Lord Shen had been able to rise to his position because Li Xun and Jiang Hua had competed too fiercely, angering the Emperor, who simply made the most senior but least capable Lord Shen the Chief Grand Secretary.

It was also a form of checks and balances.

Zhou Zijin said, “Who can become Chief Grand Secretary without some skills? Even if someone rose through the ranks by outlasting everyone else, that’s still an ability! Setting aside everything else, they must be magnanimous—otherwise how could they endure such grievances? You should know, being able to endure anger without getting angry is something not everyone can do.”

On this point, Pei Yan agreed.

He thought for a moment and said, “Then what should we do about this matter?”

It wasn’t that Pei Yan lacked ideas, but this matter involved the Zhang family. Not knowing Zhang Ying’s attitude, how could he make decisions for the Zhang family?

Zhou Zijin sighed, “We should at least inform Lord Shen. Speaking of which, Lord Shen is quite a good person. When I was at the Hanlin Academy, I also received his protection. Moreover, regarding the Gaoyou matter, it was originally meant to cover up the Third Prince’s case. If Sun Gao exposes this matter now, how does he plan to resolve it? Isn’t he afraid of angering the Emperor? Or does he have some backup plan?”

Pei Yan was also completely puzzled, but he had a rather unexpected idea. He smiled and said, “Why don’t we invite Gu Zhaoyang to come? Their sect’s matters should be resolved by their own sect members.”

Gu Zhaoyang’s luck had been poor, having ended up with Sun Gao as his mentor. He’d always wanted to keep his distance from Sun Gao, but had never succeeded.

Perhaps this time Gu Zhaoyang could truly extricate himself using the Gaoyou case.

Zhou Zijin understood what Pei Yan was implying. He grinned, winked at Pei Yan, and said with an air of welcoming chaos, “I think that’s a great idea! We can also take this opportunity to pin the blame on Gu Zhaoyang. Let others think Sun Gao and his people are fighting among themselves.” At this point, thinking of Pei Yan’s “divine” maneuvers, he quickly asked, “Tell me the truth—how did you figure out that Peng Yu would be eyeing Senior Brother’s position? I’ve thought it over and over but can’t understand. If you said Peng Yu was eyeing someone else’s position, I’d believe it. But Senior Brother is the legitimate eldest son and grandson of the Zhang family, and Uncle Zhang is still vigorous and energetic. Isn’t he afraid the Zhang family will retaliate? Moreover, just days ago Peng Yu visited Uncle Zhang, wanting to seek a Zhang family young lady’s hand in marriage for his eldest son…”

If it weren’t for Yu Tang’s “dream,” Pei Yan felt he wouldn’t have thought of it even in his dreams.

But how could he explain such a thing to Zhou Zijin?

He didn’t fear being criticized himself, but didn’t want Yu Tang to be viewed differently.

Pei Yan spoke vaguely: “I just felt the Peng family’s actions were a bit strange, so I was being cautious. It was also a fortuitous coincidence that we discovered Sun Gao’s actions.”

Zhou Zijin didn’t think much of it.

Sometimes, some people’s intuition was more powerful than any deduction or foresight.

Pei Yan was also a deeply calculating person, so his intuition must be stronger than others’.

Zhou Zijin was someone who thrived on excitement—even when there was nothing happening, he had to stir something up. Now that Pei Yan was plotting against someone, he immediately became excited and volunteered, patting his chest: “I’ll write a letter to Gu Zhaoyang right now and get him to Hangzhou.”

With Zhou Zijin’s help, matters would be even more secure.

Pei Yan nodded and brought up Wang Qibao’s matter: “I think he’s come for the Second Prince. Money is a small matter—mainly he wants to see what the major aristocratic families of Jiangnan think. I believe we should do as our mentor suggested and maintain neutrality. We don’t care who becomes emperor, as long as our interests aren’t harmed.” Then he gave Zhou Zijin a meaningful smile, “Sun Gao jumping out at this time is a good thing. Didn’t Gu Zhaoyang say he has some evidence? Whether it’s real or fake, I think we should pin this matter on Sun Gao. He’s been causing annoying trouble these past few years.”

Zhou Zijin said with a smile, “You and I are thinking along the same lines. When you go see Wang Qibao later, I won’t come along. You can take the opportunity to have a good heart-to-heart talk with him, see what he really wants to do, and we can directly promise to help him. That way we avoid driving him to Guangzhou. Isn’t Tao Qing in Lin’an? I’ll write to Gu Zhaoyang, you write to Tao Qing. I’ll handle Sun Gao, you handle Wang Qibao, and let’s quickly wrap this matter up. Uncle Zhang’s sixty-fifth birthday celebration is this year, and my father plans to go to the capital with me. I still need to escort the old master to the capital! Let’s not get ourselves all entangled in this affair.”

Zhang Ying’s birthday celebration was in the twelfth lunar month.

Pei Yan and Zhou Zijin discussed some more details, then each returned to their rooms to get busy.

Who would have known that when they woke up the next morning, the sky had changed.

An urgent express message arrived from Jiangxi, stating that while inspecting spring plowing in Jiujiang, Zhang Shao had unfortunately fallen into water and drowned.

Pei Yan sat up in bed with his clothes draped over him, unable to recover his senses for a long while.

How could this happen?

Zhang Shao was Zhang Ying’s eldest son, the Zhang family’s heir.

People must all die eventually.

But Pei Yan had never imagined Zhang Shao would die this way.

“Lord Zhang truly drowned by accident?” Pei Yan opened his eyes wide, carefully reading the letter from beginning to end again, asking Pei Qi who had brought in the letter.

Pei Qi knew this was a matter of grave importance and kept his expression taut: “I asked carefully. It really was an accident. They originally hadn’t planned to take that route through Jiujiang—it was Lord Zhang who decided to go there at the last minute. Lord Zhang’s secretary also fell into the water with him. The Jiujiang Prefect was scared witless. After consulting with his advisors all night, they still don’t know how to explain this to Old Lord Zhang. They first wrote letters to you and Lord Jiang…”

Pei Yan was the youngest disciple, like a youngest son, most favored. Jiang Hua was Zhang Ying’s disciple whose official career was currently going best, like an eldest son. With no other options, the Jiujiang Prefect naturally hoped these two could step forward to help share the burden.

Pei Yan read the letter again, and his mind exploded with a buzz.

The words Miss Yu had said earlier about the Jiangxi Provincial Administration Commissioner could all possibly come true now.

Under normal circumstances, Peng Yu definitely wouldn’t dare poach from the Zhang family. But now, with Zhang Shao’s sudden death, the position of Jiangxi Provincial Administration Commissioner had opened up. Everyone would surely swarm to attack, doing everything possible to obtain this position.

Without Miss Yu’s warning, with their mentor suffering the loss of his son in old age, those of them who were senior or junior brothers would certainly be busy comforting the living, busy with Zhang Shao’s funeral arrangements, busy handling Zhang Shao’s posthumous affairs—where would they have energy to care about who took over as Jiangxi Provincial Administration Commissioner?

Moreover, in the Zhang family’s eyes as well as his own, though the Jiangxi Provincial Administration Commissioner position was important, it wasn’t so important that they absolutely had to install their own person.

Official careers were treacherous, with iron-clad government offices but flowing officials. Who held what position also involved luck.

But according to what Miss Yu said, because Peng Yu became Jiangxi Provincial Administration Commissioner, the Li family and the Lin family who were related to the Li family by marriage both bought estates in Jiangxi and started doing grain business following the Pei family.

This was equivalent to the Pei family opening the mountain, while they followed to collect the grain.

If the two families had a good relationship it would be fine, but with the Li family always wanting to replace the Pei family, for the Pei family to still lead them to prosperity—Pei Yan didn’t consider himself to have such good temper and magnanimity.

He suddenly understood somewhat how Yu Tang felt about refusing to let go of the Li family.

Pei Yan paced back and forth in the inner chamber wearing his shoes.

He couldn’t let the situation continue developing this way.

No wonder in Yu Tang’s dream Li Duan could revive the family business, and the Peng family became Fujian’s greatest aristocratic family.

If Peng Yu became Jiangxi Provincial Administration Commissioner, he would be qualified to compete for positions as Vice Minister of the Six Ministries, and could possibly enter the cabinet as Grand Secretary.

Jiangnan only had so many resources. If the Peng family occupied more, they would occupy less.

There was also the Maritime Trade Office.

The Peng family could influence which Maritime Trade Office would ultimately be abolished.

If the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office was retained, everything they were doing now would be for nothing.

Pei Yan called a servant to help him dress, handed the letter to Pei Qi: “Show this to Scholar Zhou. Have him come to my place for breakfast.”

Pei Qi ran off in a flash.

Pei Yan looked up and saw the blue-green beams of the room outlined in gold powder with crinum lilies and ground orchids.

He walked beneath the beam.

Could it truly be the bodhisattva’s blessing?!

Their family had invited an eminent monk to lecture on sutras at Zhaoming Temple, and then Miss Yu had that dream.

Was the bodhisattva using Miss Yu’s words to hint at future events?

That is to say, the Second Prince was the true son of heaven.

He carefully recalled the words Yu Tang had told him.

Pei Yan suddenly felt his heart race with panic and shortness of breath.

According to Miss Yu’s account, Peng Shiyi wanted to kill her!

As the thought flashed through his mind, his chest felt like a huge stone was pressing on it.

“Ah Qi, Ah Qi!” Pei Yan called Pei Qi’s name loudly.

Zhao Zhen walked in quickly, saying, “Ah Qi went to Scholar Zhou’s place. Do you have instructions? Can I handle them?”